The only dedicated equine veterinarian clinic in the north of the state will close at the end of June leading to a massive depletion in specialist care for the local racing and horse breeding industry and the broader equestrian community.
Longford Equine Clinic founder and vet Dr Michael Morris said he was saddened to confirm that attempts to both sell the clinic and employ new vets had failed, forcing its closure.
Major clients such as Armidale Stud at Carrick, Alva Thoroughbred Stud at Hagley and Brooklyn Park at Evandale, which breed horses worth tens of thousands of dollars and rely on year-round reproductive services offered by the clinic, have been left reeling.
Brooklyn Park’s Cameron Thompson, who also trains horses at his Cressy property, said foals could die before a vet from further afield, such as Deloraine, arrived at the scene of an emergency birth.
“Having an equine specialist nearby is critical to our service – this is a real blow to the industry,” he said.
Dr Morris, 68, recently stepped away from clinical work and is set to retire as is long-time partner Dr Chris Cornes.
The clinic’s Dr Jade Franklin will soon go on maternity leave, leaving Dr Isobel Collier with an impossible task to keep the practice open.
“We’ve been advertising for vets for the past two years and in that time not one single enquiry has come through from anyone in Australia,” he said.
“There are very few equine vets, and I doubt that’s going to change until it becomes easier to qualify to do a veterinary degree and incentives are in place to specialise and work in rural areas.
“In the past the gender intake has been around 95 percent male and incredibly that has now almost reversed – but females are not being retained in the industry because it’s hard to make it work around raising a family.”
When Dr Morris opened the veterinary practice in 1986, adjacent to the Longford Racecourse in Brickendon St, it was to service the local racing industry.
After working alone for about 15 years he partnered with Dr Cornes, who previously had a practice at Hagley.
Over time the practice has bought in more specialists and offered new and improved services for horse owners.
“This is not what I envisaged, it’s sad for me and sad for the hundreds of clients on our books,” Dr Morris said.
“I feel like I’m letting down and betraying my clients but we’re at a loss as to how to get their needs met going forward – every friend I’ve got started out as a client so it’s been a difficult decision to make.”
Alva Stud farm manager Tracey Rothall said that she has relied on the clinic for as long as she can remember, with her own horses as a young rider and as a business that runs anywhere up to 40 horses on the property.
“This is a very big loss – I can’t even see how other local vets would be able to fill the void,” she said.
“Apart from the amazing service they’ve provided, whether it’s a family pony or a top stud mare, they’re all wonderful people and they will be missed.”
Armidale Stud’s David Wishaw said he was sad to hear of the clinic’s pending closure, in particular the retirement of Dr Morris.
“Dr Morris has had a business relationship and friendship with our family business Armidale Stud that has spanned three generations,” he said.
“Their 24-hour, 7 day a week service, has played a pivotal role and allowed our business to grow into what it is today. The closure of the practice will leave a huge hole in the specialist equine veterinary services in the north of the state.
Mr Wishaw said he feels the shortage of equine vets is part of a wider problem being faced in the horse industry which is suddenly seeing skill and staff shortages across nearly every hands-on facet of the industry – including vets, farriers, track work riders, breakers, pre trainers and stallion handlers.
“The Thoroughbred industry, in particular, has had wonderful skilled and dedicated people right through it, like Mike Morris and Chris Cornes in the veterinary world, but once these guys are retiring and stepping aside there isn’t many people coming through behind them to fill their shoes,” he said.
Clients will be formally notified of the closure when accounts go out at the end of the month.